Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 10: Commentary on the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (Part Three)

Original text:问。依何义故建立七有。所谓那落迦傍生。饿鬼人天有。业有中有。答。依三种所作故。一能引有谓一。二趣有有谓一。三受用果有谓五。生云何。谓于胎卵二生。初托生时。等生云何。谓即于彼身分圆满。仍未出时。趣云何。谓从彼出。起云何。谓出已增长。出现云何。谓于湿化二生。身分顿起。

Explanation: Question: Based on what principle are the seven kinds of existence (bhava) established, namely hell, animals, hungry ghosts, humans, devas, karmic existence, and intermediate existence? Answer: They are established as seven kinds of existence according to three kinds of actions: the first is that which can draw forth existence in the three realms, which is karmic existence; the second is the intermediate existence that can proceed toward existence in the three realms; the third is the existence in the three realms that experiences the retributive results, which is the existence of beings of the five destinies.

What is birth (birth)? Birth refers to the moment when beings of the two kinds of birth—womb-born and egg-born—first take conception. What is equal birth (equal birth)? Equal birth refers to when the bodily parts within the womb or egg have matured and become complete but have not yet emerged—in common parlance, awaiting birth. What is destiny (destiny)? Destiny means emerging from the womb or egg. What is arising (arising)? Arising refers to the stage of growth after a being has emerged. What is manifestation (manifestation)? Manifestation refers to beings of the two kinds of birth—moisture-born and transformation-born—whose bodily parts appear instantaneously.

Original text:蕴得云何。谓即于彼诸生位中。五取蕴转。界得云何。谓即彼诸蕴因缘所摄性。处得云何。谓即彼诸蕴。余缘所摄性。诸蕴生起云何。谓即彼诸蕴。日日饮食之所资长命根。出现云何。谓即彼诸蕴。余寿力故。得相续住。

Explanation: What does "attainment of the aggregates" mean? Attainment of the aggregates means that in all the stages of birth within existence, the five grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness operate and manifest—that is, the five aggregates are born and appear. What does "attainment of the elements" mean? Attainment of the elements refers to the attributes subsumed under the various causes and conditions of the five grasping aggregates. What does "attainment of the bases" mean? Attainment of the bases refers to the attributes subsumed under the remaining conditions of the five grasping aggregates, such as the internal six sense bases and the external six sense bases, combined together as the contact-place of faculties and objects. What does "arising of the aggregates" mean? It means that the five grasping aggregates are daily sustained by food and drink, nourishing and sustaining the life faculty so that it does not perish. What does "manifestation" mean? After a living being is born, the remaining force of the lifespan of the five grasping aggregates serves as the condition that allows the living being to continue abiding in the world.

Attainment of the elements can also be spoken of as attaining the elements, meaning that the dharmāyatana comes into existence, including the faculty elements, the object elements, and the consciousness elements. For example, within the five aggregates, each faculty has its own attributes, each object has its own attributes, and each consciousness has its own attributes; because the attributes differ, there are boundaries between dharma and dharma. When a dharma is born, that is the attainment of the elements.